Welcome to Saturday ...
~ Leonard Cohen
Feelings pressed between closing walls
danger waiting outside
needing advice from chipmunks and prairie dogs,
everyday creatures
How do they find peace
love, shared between them, witnessed
Fleeting glances, cute encounters, charming for a lifetime
as if here for our satisfaction
ignored before
never asked a question
Virus at hand, too late to find
secrets,
have a conversation
about surviving in community, when
Eagles soar, winged, bald
waiting
moments to invade
take life, survive,
ever diligent
Constant replications
War
Having not mole's eyes to see,
homo sapiens, never,
living together, always killing
Feeling alone in forsaken holes,
no masks to protect them,
whistle warnings, when
pressed in earthen walls.
~~ Cynosures ~~
Comments
Cohen was correct.
Lovely poem.
I have walked out into the yard to hear birds singing, see lovely butterflies on the flowers that are already blooming, donkeys braying from the ranch across the road, cattle lowing from the ranch to the side of my home.
They do not know, or care, if we humans are thrown off kilter.
We humans need to reach out to each other in love and good will during these difficult times.
I have made some executive decision that love is all there is.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Second your executive decision, OtC,
and all those creatures living in danger every moment we normally take for granted.
Recall an old friend who used to sing 'I talk to the cows, but they don't listen to me."
Been a while since i've heard a donkey bray. The beauty of the similarity in life.
Happy you liked the poem.
Should be a splendid day in Texas; enjoy and be safe.
sp. edit
Good morning, smiley ~~
Closing Time
Walking through the passageway
between the buildings,
no one else around,
alone in my thoughts
I gain entrance and find
no one is there,
an empty space,
it's closing time.
The world is shutting down
a pandemic is upon us.
People looking around
sense nothing will be the same.
But denial must come first that
our way of life cannot change,
without our consent.
Embrace the new,
discard the old,
it's closing time.
The world is shifting
to a new way of thinking.
A new consciousness is upon us,
one of love and compassion.
For now it is time to
move past this brutal life
of living outside ourselves.
The time has come to live
in the present,
to open new doors,
and shutter the old,
it's closing time.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVPLvmg1_E]
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
"A new consciousness is upon us," let's hope, RA,
your poem paves the way.
Cheers for the Lyle Lovett. Thinking about those fresh eggs you must have coming in and Aunt Rosie gathering them in in her apron. Grocery store eggs lack the beautiful rich colored yolks and taste. Much better ones available in EU countries, too.
May good door open in the desert today, be safe out there.
good morning smiley
The rains come and go and beauty abounds. The streets are silent except for an occasional squirrel. But even more amazing are the clear skies. Cumulus clouds come careening in every day over the Bay. Cold and tight but by afternoon when it has warmed they transform into large mushy machinations and in a moment can drop everything. Large wonderful drops.
I do hope you are faring well and finding pleasant distractions to fill your days. This will pass. (I am curious as to what will manifest when it does.) Thank you for the art and the poetry. Do be safe and take good care.
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
A beautiful weekend here, magi, climbing
to around 75 degrees, Carolina-blue skies. Governor announced a stay at home edict beginning Monday. Haven't been anywhere except down to the street, but local webcams show folks mulling around and traffic on main continues, but mostly downtown's deserted and everything is closed including the university.
Saw a clever cell-phone tracking map of the dispersal of folks from Spring-break beaches in south Florida, and it tracked thousands of dots up the southern states and into the Ohio valley. A matter of time before the virus rages here, i presume.
Have a splendid day and be safe.
Israel is now using a similar technology
to track coronavirus patients and those they have been in contact with. It is also used to ensure quarantine compliance.
They had developed this tech years ago to track terrorists and their connections.
The Camel's nose is in the tent and it's just a matter of time when entire populations will accept this kind of surveillance "for their own safety and protection". The younger generations have no qualms about sharing huge amounts of data with one another - what they eat, what they like/dislike, their health and every other intimate facet of their lives. They know all this data is stored forever but they do not seem to care one bit.
I shudder to think of the Nineteen Eighty-Four future rapidly bearing down on us. But the good news is we old geezers may not be around long enough to experience it.
'Herd Immunity' is now fast upon us. Those w/o strong family/ethnic ties in their community will be left behind to die. Here's the most important information you need to know from the Israeli Minister of Defense.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGl1YydafxY&feature=emb_logo]
BTW, herd immunity will eventually be the ONLY solution to dealing with COVID-19. The US government under Trump's leadership has done too little, too late to curb the pandemic. It has now metastasized throughout the entire nation, doubling every 2-3 days. There is now no way to stop it and little to no hope in controlling it.
@CB That's misinformation
That's misinformation
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/health/coronavirus-young-people.html
Just because you don't die doesn't mean it can't be very serious:
I should have put a semi-snark tag
Edit: sorry for my ranting. Didn't get much sleep last night. Maybe I should delete?
I thought people could sense the facetious tone in which this comment was written.
My final takeaway from the Israeli surveillance state was: "But the good news is we old geezers may not be around long enough to experience it."
Does the Israeli government know something on how this is going to play out? Did you hear the dog-whistles in my comment?
The idea behind this is to free up health care for the younger majority to minimize death tolls. It's based on a cost/benefit scenario. Just as Trump has talked about.
Did you watch the video from the Israeli Defense Minister? Would you accept these same comments from the United States Secretary of Defense?
Yes I know what the death rates are for COVID-19. The following chart was from China where they managed to get the cases sooner, isolate them, build sufficient hospitals at a very rapid rate plus lots of medical supplies and ventilators for 60,000 sick people in Wuhan. They separated sick people into three groups, no matter their age, into mild, moderate and severe and placed them in different hospitals.
When people get put on ventilators they usually are on them for 7-14 days - the older and sicker they were before infection, the longer the need. They use up much more resources such as medical supplies and nursing care than younger infected.
China also had access to over 40,000 medical staff from the other provinces to help cope. Under these circumstances they did a fantastic job. Don't expect similar for the US.
China still has, to a great extent, a very high respect (almost reverence) for their elders. They would give up a ventilator for their grandparents to save them. The grandparents would do the same for their grandchildren.
Coronavirus: 45% of people infected with virus show ‘no or minimal symptoms’, new figures indicate
The last paragraph can be taken at it's word. I should have added that once our hospitals are overwhelmed We. Are. Fucked. The shit's really going to hit the fan mid April at the latest.
United States now 113,416 confirmed - (9,551(9.19%) increase for just the first 10 hrs today.)
45% of people infected with virus show ‘no or minimal symptoms
Wow, scary that. In need of antibody and rapid diagnostic tests yesterday.
Cuomo calls for home tests:
The Guardian
@CB Snark is kind of
Snark is kind of pointless at this point
Compared to the president's comments and much of Wall Street the Israeli secretary seems quite mild - at least he says saving old people is desirable. If our own secretary of defense came out with a video like this he would be flogged by his superiors for admitting the whole thing won't be over in 2 weeks.
Afternoon CB,
Yep, those 1984 thoughts creep in as in most things good technology in evil hands comes with bad consequences.
Agree, US, too little too late to avoid a lot of pain.
Thanks for the vid and be safe out there.
Good morning
It is cloudy today after a sunny 80+ degrees yesterday. Left the seedling trays out last night as it is 65 degrees this AM. The garden doesn't notice the pandemic and continues to grow. Still have a few over wintered collards to harvest and cook. Lettuce is coming on strong and it will be salads most everyday starting next month. I hope you can all manage to plant at least a pot or even cardboard box of lettuce. When we were in Zancudo, CR the grocery there had a bed of lettuce out front where you could harvest the head you liked best. Nothing like growing your own...and it is easy even if you've never grown things.
I miss my regular Friday night music session and Saturday Trade Day. We had our first COVID case in the county this week, but very few tests have been conducted here. Where is the exit ramp? Ir sure ain't going to be April 12. They called off the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial day and have shut down all their state parks.
Bought some more pasture raised pork and grass fed beef from a local farm to stash in the freezer in case the farm shuts down public sales (which they are considering). We've got plenty of veggies and so many more coming on that all we bought was meat.
Hope you are all eating and resting well. Don't let the insanity around us get you down and stressed. Take care everyone!
Here's one of my faves to play by the Delmore Brothers
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRP2v-4NDQo]
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hum, a dinner of fresh tenderloin , collards and
cornbread sounds good, Lookout, yummy. Do have a tiny amount of lettuce in the window; haven't started my windowsill garden yet; need a few seeds and starter plants.
Trying to manage the day-to-day anxiety, not great, but not so bad either, sleeping clock's off, not that it matters much.
A gorgeous Spring day in Mabel, today, a few early blossoms, but, as you know, this most likely is a tease as we are six weeks or so from putting gardens out.
Very alone on King with Farmer's, Mast and shops and restaurants closed.
No way can our local hospital corporation handle what's coming; nurse friend tells me it's chaos there already.
Singing my troubles away, wonderful harmony, thanks for sharing. Guess you'll have to play and sing to the animals, too
Son and i share writings and poems and talk on phone more than usual; it helps.
Yep, give those troubles to the wind, no sense in being blue, be safe out there.
Good morning, s7. My husband had his last
proton treatment for prostate cancer on Monday, so he’s good to go.
Our state appears to have stopped updating its website for Covid19 cases as of yesterday. Atlanta hospitals are at capacity and the city is shut down. Still the mayor has to be people to stay inside or at least keep their distance.
The parks in our little city had to close because of all the people getting together with the kids out of school. I was driving the golf cart so that our son could run the big dog last week, but have quit because it’s so crowded out there.
The weather has been really hot which means big time pollen. So is it allergies or Covid19– a dilemma for so many.
Alert: Common Dreams website is up again. It looks like they updated their graphics, etc.
Everybody take care. We’ve known for a long time that the 1% wanted us dead. Let’s not give them the satisfaction.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
Good morning Lilly O Lady,
Good news about your husband. That's a relief.
Know about too many people being out, same here, even a brief walk on an abandoned main street encounters folks. Hard for most to understand this is a critical time, apparently, when no ones knows who may be infected or in contact with the virus. So far, have stayed clear of others for the most part, especially the last ten days or so.
Fear this is going to be a long haul; and may present challenges we've yet to anticipate.
Cheers for the Common Dreams news.
Do take special care out there and have wonderful weekend.
Good morning smiley, rain just stopped but on the cool
side and not a good day to get into the garden. This is becoming an odd problem - we have this one plot of greens (Dinosaur Kale, Portuguese Kale, Spinach Chard) that are huge, and also budding out like crazy. The leaves are huge and we are having trouble keeping up with them as edibles and yet need to harvest and also try to "restart" them. I also have a (too) small box or spinach chard, one of which looks like a mini palm tree and one which is acting like a spider plant, so we have to try to transplant, replant, thin, whatever. On top of that, it is pretty much time to think of planting, but it seems to rain at least part of every day.
The things one can find to complain about, eh?
we're generally ok, but there is a local scarcity of bread flour (yet another first world problem) which will catch up with us eventually.
Thanks for the poetry the the good mood and art.
be well and have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Afternoon el,
Don't know what local shortages may be grocery wise, haven't been out. I recall your saying that flour storage was a problem and know you bake a lot. Hope that changes quickly, guess that's a transportation hiccup or a hoarding one, but don't know.
Be well and be safe when venturing out.
Other components
Don't forget yeast. You can't buy it at any price here in the Houston area. One can always bake Irish Soda Bread, but still...
My wife and I both have sourdough starters that we use
for bread, pizza, piadina and all that, which are refreshed with regular flour. Cakes, pizza, piadina, hand pies, cookies and all use regular flour, bread uses whole wheat and bread flour. We haven't used yeast in years. When we did, we got (Red) Star or somesuch in a bulk bag that was about the size of a coffee meg and kept it in the fridge. Sometimes it is easier to find than the little packets. If you can't find it you can maybe get it delivered by mail??
Good luck.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
There's always the freezer ...
when you've got more greens than you can eat. Blanche and freeze - pretty quick and very easy. Lettuce doesn't freeze well but I sometimes make lettuce soup and freeze that.
Not too bad a situation you're in el...too many greens. I wish more folks had that situation!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yeah, we have it fairly well, cases of home canned
applesauce, pears and apricot jam, our orange tree produces year round, so we always have fresh oranges, and we have loads of frozen granny smith apple slices in 4c servings frozen in baggies. I always have a few green onions regrowing and a stash of good dark chocolate bars to grate for use in confections. It is stuff like coffee and eggs that will do us in.
have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
No more using your own bags
Good afternoon, Smiley. Another sunny day here today, but a bit too hot to be early spring.
Tennessee now has over 1000 cases. The highest number are around the Nashville area where all the rich, world travelers live. There are 26 in Knox county and 3 in Anderson County where I live. Knox county has a "safer at home" order, but nothing in my county yet except for tape marks on the floor of stores to show how far apart to stand.
I just got back from the grocery store. I was going to get some stuff to take to my daughter since she's not able to leave the hospital or she won't be allowed back in. But I didn't get anything because they wouldn't let me use my own bag. I know where my bag has been, I don't know how many people have coughed and sneezed all over their bags - especially in the self checkout. So I left the cart where it was and walked out. Maybe their plastic bags are safer than my washable ones? I don't know, I just know I'm not using them.
Afternoon Jen,
Sorry about your trying effort to get food. What can you do? Do you have another source?
Thinking about your daughter and all the good folks working to save lives in this unknowing environment. Curse words don't comfort me about Trump and his administration not taking immediate and appropriate steps to have tests and equipment ready. He should be tried and Impeached immediately. But, now what's to be done?
NC's going to statewide stay at home on Monday. We've a few cases showing up in the mountains, central NC has lots.
Please do take care and be safe out there.
NY Post does journalism
CV-19 Hamptons class warfare Full title: ‘We should blow up the bridges’ — coronavirus leads to class warfare in Hamptons
I saw that the other day. It was really awful
to read how rapacious, selfish the wealthy are. Especially the woman who had tested positive and carried it out of the city. I imagine that how the Black Death spread, shades of Poe.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
Damn ...
Too much in it was worthy of quoting
which is why I only recommended with a link.
The following does encapsulate what's in the article:
Would add, in many cases unknowingly bringing coronavirus. Wealthy global travelers have been a CV19 vector.
so when is #guillotine going to start trending?
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
Well, it appears some rise in crime is
starting to happen locally.
I had a 6 ft distance chat with a friend today. He is a volunteer first responder, a volunteer at the local community center, and he said he almost had to shoot someone recently. He is a retired engineer, has worked all over the world, is dedicated to this community and its' people.
He asked how he could contact me if he actually did shoot anybody.
I gave him my cell number, then gave him the elements of self-defense, coached him on the obvious things he would want at the scene for the cops to observe and photograph.
This is the kind of conversation I fully expect to have in the coming weeks.
And then he told me 3 or 4 tp jokes. We are just trying to stay aware and steady.
He will not allow anyone to harm him or his wife.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I recommend waterboarding
This will teach them what it is like to slowly die due to the lack of ventilators.
I'm not recommending anything.
Nonetheless, I'm curious about whether the straw might be drifting down towards the camel's back.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
Beautiful tune by Tom Waits "Closing Time"
I live in the downtown area where everything is shut down except for a convenience store/pharmacy and while walking to it yesterday evening I saw not one other pedestrian,empty parking spots for blocks in every direction and I felt like I was in that classic movie "On the Beach".
Then something else got my attention, I could hear crows, seagulls and various other birds unlike any other time I've been out walking.
There were no competing sounds of traffic, or that from people on the sidewalks coming and going from stores, it was peaceful on a Friday evening that felt good but not for a good reason just like in that movie.
I have this album and it has a lot of great tunes, including one made famous by The Eagles, 'Ol 55'.
aliasalias, re-visiting the wonderful music contributions
of yesterday. One of c99's best attributes is the breath and depth of fantastic music you all bring to conversations.
Played Tom's closing time on repeat with coffee today, so special, thanks again.
May we all be "riding with lady luck," as the days come.
HI aliasalias,
"hear crows, seagulls and various other birds unlike any other time I've been out walking."
Feel ya, good on one hand, eerie on the other. Stepped out onto main, also downtown, main block of small town this afternoon, sounds of bluegrass coming from up the hill in a small park, very few people; didn't venture very far.
Thanks for the Tom Waits, big fan here as well.
Here's one from Leonard:
Thanks Smiley
. . . and everyone for a lovely OT.
Just got back from Fort Worth taking our lovely extra child to the train station so she can visit a cousin in Kansas for a few months. Pretty empty. Not much traffic. Three hours on the road and I am so glad to be home. The train station was completely empty. Just a couple of clerks behind barriers. She took hand sanitizer with her. Hope it is enough. The rural counties around here mostly have no confirmed cases. Our county shows one as of today.
Wishing you all well, that you may enjoy the daffodils, irises, bluebonnets, paintbrush, redbuds, and all the beauty of spring.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Hi Marilyn,
Good to see you, looking forward to those special photos you do of your garden now planting time is here.
Good that the trains roll still and with few passengers.
As you practice self-sufficient and sustainable methods, i suspect you're more prepared than many for this shut down.
Be safe and happy Spring backatcha you and your wonderful family.
Closing Time
Time will tell if it's prophecy
When Babel fell, did the babble cease?
The first world's bank is the third world's crime
And it all adds up at closing time
History is a rich man's tale
A row of lamps on the paper trail
But the lights have dimmed and the trading's died
And they've closed the books on closing time
Now border fence got raised again
And we all lament that the line's so thin
But the neighborhood is tucked in tight
And lock your gates, it's closing time
Tell me this, when you're on the street
Do you look for hints in the eyes you meet?
Or do you look away and say "Just fine"
And hurry home at closing time
Now the Golden Years with their edges brown
Just one loose gear'll grind the whole chain down
And grown men cry just to grease their minds
When they've lost their sense of closing time
Danny Schmidt: http://www.songlyrics.com/danny-schmidt/closing-time-lyrics/
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Wonderful music, mavelous poetry, Bisbonian, wow, listening
to Danny Schmidt as i write; big thanks for introducing him.
Found Closing Time on youtube on a Top Tracts station, so if you play, it's autoplay.
"Accidental daisies filled my life," ~ Schmidt.
~~~
Be safe out there.
Thank you smiley,
for your abundant and tender offerings. I find the beauty and contrast of the two images elegant and bittersweet. Your poem contains the quality of both. May we all find a little bit of each to satisfy our condition.
I’d love to be there among the unknown campers at this moment.
I am reminded of this poem ...
To make a prairie (1779)
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee.
And revery.
The revery alone will do,
If bees are few.
by Emily Dickinson
Chill bumps reading Emily, janis,
overwhelmed by her genius with a few words. A reminder to visit her works, especially during these times.
Appreciate your kind words and understanding how different mediums compliment each other.
BtW, extraordinary seaside photo Friday night, capturing currents of life.
Be safe, down under.
Thanks smiley
I really appreciate the art and your poetry. It is needed in these times.
And a question: could you post a link to the very last music video? I enjoyed that. A lot. I can imagine having that as one of my long list of things I listen to when running. But...on my page the link is so tiny and I can't seem to get to the relevant details as to *who* that is.
Such wonderful young musicians!
Hi peachcreek, music: 'Tubular Bells' Live at the BBC 1973, by
Mike Oldfield.
Glad you enjoy, so do i. Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXatvzWAzLU
and wiki:
I'm glad I checked my comments
Thanks for the kind words and I had totally forgotten that somewhere among my approximately 800 albums I have the 'Tubular Bells' album. I'll have to dig it out from whatever bin it's in and every time I browse thru them I rediscover gems I've found at garage sales,flea markets and from friends over forty years.
At one time for days before I was driving somewhere far away (like from southeast Texas to Vancouver BC, or just visit friends in Boulder Colo.) I would start recording music from an assortment of albums that would fill up a few shoe boxes with cassette tapes.
That made the long drives a much better trip, and sometimes when I hear certain songs I have certain memories of the trip I'd forgotten.
For me music has always been a marker in time, there might be a song I didn't really care about in the past but it played on the radio so often I know where I was at that time,some good and some not so good but there are the memories.